Fluid-pressure liquid pump



June 24, 1924. 1,499,208

A. J. FRoGuE ET AL FLUID PRESSURE LIQUID PUMP :med sept. a, 1922 -ffx 4Z Y /5- 4/ f 48 umnlnmm-j; 1 mii. m-IIIIIIIH Al, i .99 4 30 -IIIIIHII f D' il 46 l 4? .Hl-muuu ,l I l 4 "4* 35 1 Patented June 24, 1924.

l 1,499,208 PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR J'. FROGUE AND SIGMUND HESS, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNORS TO THE MISSION OIL COMPANY, `OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF KANS S.

FLUID-PRESSURE LIQUID PUMP.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR J. FROGUE,

a citizen of the United States, and SIGMUND Huss, a citizen of' Switzerland, both residing at Kansas Cit-y, in the county of Jackson and State .of Missouri, have invented certain new and use'tul Improvements in Fluid-Pressure Liquid Pumps; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as -will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reterence being-had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which 'form a part otthis specification.

This invention relates to fluid pressure liquid displacement pumps and it is particularly designed for elevating liquids from deep wells.

The primary object of the invention is to provide means whereby a compressible fluid, such as air, may be utilized @tor the purpose of raising liquid from a well and the construction is such that the operation ofthe pump will be automatic in response to variationsl in the depth of the well in which the pump is located.

An important feature of the invention is 30 the provision of means whereby the accuijnulating liquid in the well may itself create pressure to actuate a mechanism so that the pump will automatically start to operate when a sufficient amount of liquid has accumulated in the pump cylinder and whereby the pump will cease to operate as such when there is a drop in pressure due to the evacuation of the pump cylinder or 'from any other cause. l

Another important object of the invention is to provide a pump which will be etticient without the necessity of employing complicated parts in the bottom o1 the well.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a digrammatic elevational view of a pump system constructed in yaccordance with our invention, the pump cylinder being shown in section. f

Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional view through the valve casing Jfor controlling the flow of air in either of' two directionsy and for controlling an exhaust from the circuit closer pressure tank, and v Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the pressureoperated circuit closer.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference: f 1 designates the pump cylinder, at the 'lower end of which is an inlet opening 2, communicating axially with the valve cage 3, having a plurality of vertically disposed,

'longitudinal slots L1, whereby communication may behad through the opening 2 and the interior of the cylinder 1 through said slots.

The valve cage communicates 'with a longitudinal, centrally disposed pipe 5, extending through the upper end of the cylinder and through the top of the well so that it may communicate with a receiving tank 6. Within the valve cage 3 is a ball valve 7, adapted to rest upon the set 8 or bear against the seat 9, dependent upon the pressure within the cylinder 1.

Within the pipe 5 outside the cylinder 1 is a check valve 10, opening in the direction of the discharge and adapted to ybe seated to prevent return of fiuid which has passed it in the pipe 5.

Leading from the top of 4the cylinder 1 is an air pipe or fluid pressure pipe 11, eX- tending `above the top of the well and communicating withv a Y coupling 12, comprising a three-way valve casing in which is a rotatable valve 13 (see Fig. 2) having ports 14, 15 and 16, the ports 14 and 15 being adapted to establish communication between the pipe 11 and the pipe 17 leading to the tank l'and the ports 15 and 16 being designed to establish communication between the pipe 11 and the pipe 19, which communicates with the tank 20.

kThe valve 13 is provided with a depending lever arm or crank 21, outside the valve cage 12 having slotted connection with solenoid core 22, actuated by a solenoid 23 in one direction and moved in an opposite directionby a tension spring 24.

Located above the top of the well isa lpressure tank having a closed diaphragm chamber 25 communicating therewith and in which is a diaphragm 26, connected to a conductor 27 and provided with a contact 28 to co-operate with a fixed contact 29, connected to a conductor 30, energized from a storage battery 31 so that when the diaphragm responds to pressure, the contacts 2S and 2S) will close the circuit to energize the solenoid forming part of the circuit and connected to the battery 31 by a conductor 32 and yto the conductor 27 by a branch conductor 33. Therefore, if the circuit is closed, the solenoid coil 23 will become energized and actuate the core 22 to pull the valve lever from right to left to reverse the valve 13. Foi-example, suppose the oil cylinder is disposed within the oil cavity 34, surroinided by the oil sands as shown: As the oil accumulates in the cavity r34, it will pass through the opening 2, unseating the valve 7 and temporarily forcing it against the seat 9. The oil will pass into the cylinder 1 through the slots 4, displacing the air in the cylinder and forcing it through the pipe 11, through port'14, port 15, pipe 17 into cylinder 18 until the pressure is sutiicient to cause the diaphragm 26 to move from left to right to close the gap between the contacts 28 and 29. The circuit consisting of the contact 29, electrically connected. to battery 31, conductor 32, solenoid 23, conductor 33, conductor 27 and contact 28 will be made so that the solenoid will be energized and communication between the cylinder 1 and the tank 18 will be cut otl` but at the same time communication will be established between the pressure tank 20 and thetank 11 through the ports 15 and 16. Since there will be considerable pressure in tank 2O due to the air compressor 35, the air will pass from 2O through pipe 19, ports 15 and 16 to pipe 11 and into the top of the cylinder so that there will be pressure on the oil within the cylinder. The valve 7 will be seated on its seat 8, closing off coinmunication between the cavity 34 and the interior of the cylinder but establishing communication between the interior of the cylinder and the pipe 5. Therefore, the pressure from the tank 2O will force the liquid from the cylinder 1 through pipe 5 into the tank 6.

llVhen communication is established between the tank 20 and the pipe 11, the pressure will be sufficient to impart movement to a plunger head or piston 36 in the piston cylinder 37, communicating with the pipe 11, which is a part' of pipe 11. The pressure will force the piston 36 against the action of the expansion spring 38 and move the rod or stein 39 from right to left, Athe end of the rod 39 having a slide valve 40 in a. valve casing 41 carried by the discharge pipe 42, coinniunicating with the pipe 17.

As soon as the iiston 36 moves over far enough to cause the bore of the pipe 42 to register with the opening 43 in the valve 40, the tank 18 will exhaust to atmosphere through the end of the pipe 42. Therefore, the inherent flexibility of the diaphragm 26 will allow it to assume the position shown in Fig. 3-aiid the contacts 38 and 39 will be spaced apart 'but in moving the rod 39 from right to left, the circuit will be closed through the medium of the movable contact 46 on the rod 39 and the stationary contact.

47, the contact 47 being connected to a conductor 48, which connects the battery 31 to contact 29 through the medium of a conductor 49 and the contact 46 is connected to the conductor 27, as clearly seen in Fig. 1. Therefore, the circuitV will be established through the battery 31, solenoid 23, conductor 27, contact 46, contact 47, conductor 49, conductor 48 and the battery. The valve 13 will still be held in position to allow the contents of the tank 2O to exhaust through the pipe 19 and the pipe 11 into the cylinder until there is a drop in pressure from the tank 2O sufficient to allow the expansion spring 38 to overcome the pressure in pipe 11, whereupon the piston will be moved from right to left, breaking the circuit and allowing the spring 42 to pull the arm 31 from left to right to throw the valve 13 in the position shown in F ig. 2, so that when the oil begins to accumulate in the cylinder 1 through the opening 2 and valve cage 3, pressure will again be forced through pipe 11 into the tank 18 to again initially establish a circuit through contacts 28 and 29 to set the device in operation.

1t is to be understood, of course, that so long as communication is established between the cylinder 1 and the tank 20, the pressure will be suiicient to force out accumulated oil from the cylinder 1 through pipe 5 into the tank 6.

The air compressor 35 may be of appropriate construction adapted to operate automatically upon a drop in pressure in the tank 20 and to cease to operate upon the establishment of pressure, as will be well understood.

- For convenience, an air pressure gauge 50 may be applied to the tank 20 in the pipe 19.

A vertically reciprocating, `flow-actuated valve 51 may be provided in the cylinder 1, adapted to seat upon'the seat 52 in response to movement of the float 53, actuated by the rising level of the oil so that if the oil level should happen to be very high in the cylinder 1, communication will be cut off between the cylinder 1 and the pipe 11 so that no oil at any time can enter the pipe 11.

If the parts are properly assembled, as shown in Fig. 1, and the oil starts to accumulate in the cavity 34, it will pass into the cylinder through the port 2, the level within the cylinder being equivalent to the level outside and the incoming oil will forni a liquid piston, forcing air through pipe 11, through pipe 11 and pipe 17 into the cylinder 18 until the circuit is established through contacts 28 and 29. Then the solenoid will be actuated to swing the valve 13 in a clockwisedirection so that communication will be cut off between the pipe 11 and the tank 18 but will be established with tank 20. As soon as this occurs, the direction of ow will be reversed so instead of the air passing upward into tank 18, it will pass downward from the tank 2O into the cylinder so as to displace the liquid therein, causing the valve 7 to be seatedand the only exit will be through the pipe k5, the bottom end of which is near the bottomof the cylinder 1. f

As the oil is vforced into pipe 5, it will be raised above the check valve 10 so that by the time all the oil is out of the cylinder-1, it will be above the check valve 10 so that it cannot drain back into the cylinder 1.-

During the time that there is an appreciable air pressure from the pipe 20, the circuit will be established through the contacts 46 and 47, the contacts 28 and 29 during this time being spaced apart. When there is suflicient pressure drop in the pipe 11' to permit the spring 38 to preponderate thereover, the contacts 46 and 47 will be ymoved apart so thatthe spring 24 can actuate the lever 21 to re-establish communication between the cylinder l, pipe 11 and cylinder 18. As soon as the pressure is relieved from the top of the oil in the cylinder l, itwill again begin to accumulate therein, provided, of course, there is oil in the cavity 34. As the level of the liquid raises in the cylinder 1, the air will become compressed f and be forced from the pipe 11 into the cylinder 18 to again close the contacts 28 and 29 so that the cycle of operations will be completed.

In some wells it is necessary to overcome excessive pressure in theY well on the bottom of the valve 7 which tends to lift the valve off the seat 9, due to excessive gas pressure or when the well ills with oil to a considerable height in the casing above the pump cylinder 1. This is accomplished by connecting the valve 9 by a rod 54 to a piston 55 slidable in a closed cylinder 56 carried by a sleeve 57 having openings or slots 58 which is carried by the lower end of the cylinder 1. Air pressure is applied to the piston thru the pipe 59 from the pipe 11. Vhen the air pressure is admitted to the cylinder l to force the oil out of the cylinder the air pressure also acts on the piston forcing it down thus closing the valve 9 and since the area of the piston 54 is much greater than the area of the valve 9 the pressure on the piston is such that it counteracts the excessive outside pressure and the valve 9 is held closed retaining the oil in the cylinder 1. Upon the emptying of the cylinder the air pressure is turned off as heretofore described and the piston 55 is forced upward by the spring 60 lifting the valve 9 from the opening 2.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a system constructed in accordance with our invention may automatically operate in response to variations in the levels of the liquid in the oil cavity at the bottom of the well and that the device will efficiently op- Letters-Patent is:` i [LVA fluid pressure liquid' pump/,comprisdistributing tank and the pipe so that air 'crate tojelevate theliquid `bycompressed air so long asy there is liquid i accumulating within the cavity'and'solong as the aircompressor 35 properly fpfunctions.

l lWhat vwe claim andy desire t0 7o secure by ing acylinder, a storage tank, a piperlea'ding from thebottom of thecylinder to the storage tank, a pipe leading from" the top 'of the cylinder, a pressure-receiving tank-adapted to'cornmunicate with the second mentioned pipe, a pressure distributing tank yadapted to communicate with the second pipe, a valve iny the'second pipe for cuttingoifcommuni- 80 lcation between the' pressure *distributing 'tank 'and the 'pipe and toestablish communication between the second mentioned pipe and the pressure-receivingv tank and vice versa, means controlled bythe pressure inthe 'pressure-receiving tank for actuating the valve to cut off communication 'between itand the second mentioned pipe and estabdish/communication between ,the lpressure under pressure may flow from the pressure distributing tank through the ysecond mentioned pipe tothe cylinder, andl'means controlled bythe pressure in the pressure distributingtank Vfor cutting off-'communication between itvand ythe second mentioned pipe and establishingcommunication `between the second' mentioned pipe andthe pressure-receiving tank.

2. A fluid pressure liquid pump comprising a cylinder, a storage tank above the cylinder, a pipe leading from the bottom of the cylinder to the tank, a second pipe leading from the top of the cylinder, a threeway valve casing connected to the second pipe, a pressure-receiving tank communicatingwith the valve casing, a pressure distributing tank communicating with the valve casing, a three-way valve in the casing, an arm on the valve, means actuated in response to pressure in the pressure-receiving tank for kcausing the arm to operate the valve to establish communication between the pressure distributing tank and the cylinder, andv means actuated upon a drop 'in pressure `in 115 the pressure distributing tank to operate the valve to establish communication between the cylinder and the pressure-receiving tank, the cylinder having an inwardly opening valve controlling the inlet opening in the bottom thereof.

3. A fluid pressure liquid pump comprising a submergible cylinder having an inwardly opening valve in the bottom thereof whereby liquid may pass into the cylinder, a discharge pipe having its inlet end adjacent to the inlet opening in the cylinder and its discharge end outside the cylinder, a pressure-receiving tank, a pipe connecting the cylinder with the pressure-receiving tank and adapted to supply pressure to the -pressure-receiving tank when the liquid actributing tank adapted to communicate with the cylinder to 'displace the accumulated liquid therein and force it through the discharge pipe, a valve for alternately opening and cutting off communication between the pressure-receiving tank and the cylinder and the pressure distributingtank and the cylinder, means controlled by the pressure'in the pressure distributing tank for cutting off communication between the cylinder and the pressure-receiving tank, and means controlled by a drop in pressure in the pressure distributing tank for cutting ofl" communication between the pressure distributing tank and the cylinder and establishing communication between the pressure-receiving tank and the cylinder.

et. A fluid pressure liquid pump comprising a cylinder having an inlet opening in the bottom thereof, a discharge pipe communicating with the cylinder and with the exterior thereof, a pipe leading from the cylinder, a pressure-receiving tank connected to the pipe and adapted to receive pressure generated by the incoming fluid in the cylinder, a pressure distributing tank adapted to communicate with the second mentioned pipe, and means controlled by the pressure within the pressure-receiving tank for cutting off communication between the second mention-ed pipe and the pressurereceiving tank andestablishing communication between the pressure-receiving tank and the second mentioned pipe.

A fluid pressureliquid pump comprising a cylinder having an inlet opening in the bottom thereof, a discharge pipe communicating with the cylinder and with the exterior thereof, a pipe leading from the cylinder, a pressure-receiving tank connected to the pipe and adapted to receive pressure generated by the incoming fluid in the-cylinder, a pressure distributing tank adapted to communicate with the second mentioned pipe, means controlled by the f pressure within the pressure-receiving tank for cutting off communication between the second mentioned pipe and the pressurereceiving tank and establishing communication between the pressure-receiving tank and the second mentioned pipe, and means controlled by a drop in pressure within the pressure-receiving tank for cutting off communication between the .pressure-distributing tank and the second mentioned pipe and re-establishing communication between the second mentioned pipe and the pressurereceiving tank.

In testimony whereof we aliix our signatures.

ARTHUR J. FROGUE. SIGMUND HESS. 

